


Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

by airond (one_hell_of_an_otaku)



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual!Caboose, Asexuality, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-12
Updated: 2014-10-12
Packaged: 2018-02-20 20:04:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2441261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/one_hell_of_an_otaku/pseuds/airond
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are times when Caboose is okay with the touches from Church, but most of the time, he isn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

**Author's Note:**

> I have a headcanon that Caboose is a panromantic asexual (#samesies) and then this

Church shivered as a gust of freezing wind pricked his skin and caused a light dust to form across his cheeks. He scowled into his scarf as he pulled it up to cover his reddening nose, silently wishing for winter to pass. He kicked the snow that rested at his feet and lost his balance as his foot passed over the icy substance. He steadied himself when he felt a pair of hands grab onto his bicep and smiled at Caboose.

The two had decided to go for a walk instead of being stuck inside a stuffy room, but they hadn’t planned on it snowing midway through their stroll. The pair ignored the small flurries but soon the specks of snow had accumulated and brought them to where they stood, stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.

“Are you okay?” Caboose asked. His light blue orbs were filled with concern and wonder for the raven. Blonde hair swept against Caboose’s pale face as the wind tickled his cheeks, causing a light flush to cover his faint freckles.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Church nodded. He gave Caboose’s shoulder a small nudge with his own and smiled when his boyfriend reciprocated. “Let’s get coffee or something.”

“Like a date!” Caboose pointed out. His face lit up and he grabbed Church’s hand, squeezing ever so slightly as he reveled in the warmth that was their fingers intertwined. He almost wished he brought gloves as his hand started getting colder as the seconds passed but shook the thought away because holding Church’s hand and seeing the smile grow on his face was worth it. He’d do anything to see Church smile like that.

“I guess it is,” Church laughed. The two resumed their stroll and found an old café and stepped inside.

A bar on their left was occupied as customers sat at the stools, making small talk with the baristas. Workers bustled about behind the bar, making drinks and fetching pastries from ovens. To their right sat various colored bean bags with small tables. In the far right corner was an area for too tall tables and chairs along with a glass casing across it. People sat in beanbags and hardly anybody was sitting at the tables.

The room smelled of chocolate and coffee beans and Church smiled as he saw Caboose’s eyes widen. They let go of each other’s hands so Caboose could order drinks and so Church could find a table to sit at.

Caboose strode over to the table about a minute later with his hands in his pockets. He wore a dark blue coat that was buttoned up to his neck. Underneath he wore a light blue long sleeve, specifically because he knew Church liked that shade of blue. He wore a pair of black skinny jeans that bunched towards his ankles where azure tennis shoes adorned his feet.

Caboose sat at a chair across from Church and watched as he carefully peeled off his faded red scarf. He slipped out of his dark blue coat and hung it across the back of his chair, making sure it wouldn’t fall to the floor before he got himself situated. A pair of dark wash jeans rested on his hips and bagged at the ankles where a pair of black sneakers hugged his feet.

“We should come to this place more often,” Caboose wondered aloud as his eyes trailed the Christmas lights that were strewn on the walls of the room. “It is really pretty in here.”

“It’s warm in here, too,” Church pointed out. “And quiet.”

“Do you like it when it’s quiet, Church?”

“Sometimes,” the raven answered. “Like whenever Tucker talks too much and Doc rambles about what he’s doing in med school. That’s when I like for it to be quiet.”

“So since you didn’t mention me… does that mean you like it when I talk?” Caboose asked, resting his chin in his hand. He fluttered his eyelashes and laughed when Church kicked his shin under the table.

“My answer is really starting to lean towards the word _no_ ,” Church joked. He grabbed Caboose’s hands and glanced up at the blonde. A small nod was given and Church’s attention was back to his slender fingers, playing with his digits by bending them up and down.

Church was pulled from his reverie a few minutes later (all too soon in his opinion) as a woman’s voice all but shouted “Order for Michael!” And then Caboose’s hand was gone and Church reprimanded himself for feeling upset. Though, he felt he had a perfectly good reason to be upset that Caboose was pulled away from him.

_It’d been almost a week since the two had began dating. Church was trying his damndest to get any physical connection with Caboose and had failed miserably, questioning why his hugs and occasional kisses were being brushed off._

_“Maybe he just thinks you’re not so great anymore,” Tucker pointed out. He scrolled through his phone and glanced up when he heard Church groan._

_“That can’t be it,” Church grumbled. “He’s been attached to my hip ever since we met. There’s no way he’ll just try to ditch me like that.”_

_“Then just go ask him,” Tucker shrugged. “You’re not gonna find out anything if you sit and whine all day.”_

_“I guess you’re right.” Church stood up from where he sat and sent a text to Caboose, asking him to meet up at the park down the street._

_“Hi, Church!” Caboose greeted as soon as he was within earshot of the raven. The sleeves of his jacket were rolled up and it looked like he was sweating a little from the walk over. “It’s hot today, isn’t it?”_

_Church nodded in favor of talking and saying something misleading and headed towards a large tree, hearing the crunch of twigs under their feet as they walked. He sat against the trunk and tapped his fingers together, waiting for Caboose to settle down next to him. The two sat in silence while Church revised his question for Caboose in his head until the blonde couldn’t stand it anymore._

_“Are you breaking up with me?” Caboose asked. He looked over to Church and the raven scolded himself for taking too long as he saw tears begin to gloss over vibrant pools of blue. His lips wobbled and shook as he stared into Church’s azure orbs._

_“What? No, I wouldn’t do that,” Church shook his head furiously. He wiped the stray tears away from Caboose’s freckled covered cheeks and furrowed his eyebrows. “What makes you think that?”_

_“Well, you looked upset,” Caboose sniffed. “And you weren’t talking. I thought you didn’t like me anymore.” He turned to face the ground and wiped his eyes when Church pulled away._

_“No, no, no,” Church repeated. “I did want to talk to you about something, but not that.” He rubbed circles on Caboose’s back and pulled away when he felt the blonde shrink away from his touch._

_“What did you want to talk about, then?” Caboose asked once he calmed down. He rubbed his eyes once more, ridding them of any excess saltiness._

_Church bit his lip while he contemplated going through with his plan on asking Caboose if he was doing anything wrong. He decided that yes, he had to ask because he couldn’t bear not hearing the answer. (At least it sounded like Caboose still liked him based on the situation that just happened a minute ago.)_

_“Why don’t you ever let me hug you?” Church asked. “And you never let me kiss you or hold your hand. Why’s that?” He stared at Caboose and waited for his answer, expecting to hear something along the lines of_ I’m just not ready yet. __

_“I’m asexual,” Caboose replied. He stared into cobalt eyes and blinked, waiting for it to click._

_“You’re_ what _?” Church asked. “Like, that thing with plants?” Caboose shook his head and Church was only confused further. “Okay, I need an explanation for this.”_

_“It means I’m not really comfortable with sex and stuff,” Caboose rattled off. “It’s different for everyone, but for me it means I don’t really like doing stuff with touching.” He cocked his head to the side and waited for Church to say “_ Oh, I get it _” but was only met with silence. “Do you know what I mean?”_

_“I’m not sure I do,” Church admitted. He hated feeling like that. Like he didn’t know something. For once he was the one confused while Caboose was the one with the full understanding of something. “But I’m sure I’ll get used to it. Maybe.”_

_Caboose gave him a smile and nodded, content with his answer. He began to specify some things, though, to help him understand better. For example, he would slowly explain what things he was comfortable with and how he didn’t always want to be hugged and kissed. Church was starting to understand a little more as time passed and eventually learned to ask whenever he wanted to do something physical with Caboose._

_He didn’t think he’d get an answer like that when he asked why Caboose wouldn’t let himself be touched, but Church supposed it was better than nothing. After all, he learned something new about his boyfriend._

“Is something wrong?” Caboose asked warily. He set the two cups down on the table and watched as Church tore his head up from the table.

“Nah, nothing’s wrong,” Church shook his head. “I was just thinking.” He grabbed a cup and grimaced at the heat, no longer tempted to have something warm when he was no longer freezing. He turned it over in his hand to see a number scrawled under the name _Michael_ along with the words _call me_. He furrowed his eyebrows as he saw a smile appear on Caboose’s face.

“I think that girl likes me,” he beamed. “Isn’t she nice?”

“But does it matter if that girl likes you?” Church asked. “You already have someone that likes you. I’m _your_ boyfriend.” He set the cup down and grabbed the other, taking a gulp without a care as the boiling liquid scalded his tongue.

“I guess it doesn’t matter,” Caboose said. “But it’s still nice, right?” He turned his head to face the barista that wrote on his cup and waved at her.

“ _Michael_ ,” Church called out. Caboose turned back around at the use of his first name, knowing it was only used when something was important or if he did something bad. (It was usually the latter.) “Can I kiss you?”

After a few seconds to register the question Caboose nodded reluctantly as he saw Church lick his lips. He felt warm hands cup his cheek and let out a shaky breath as a pair of lips drew closer to his own. He felt his stomach do flips and turns and those were the times he was glad he wasn’t always showing affection for Church because it made it all the more sweeter in the times that he did.

Church pressed his lips lightly against Caboose’s and sighed through his nose as he tasted the candy that the blonde never seemed to stop eating. (It was mostly gummy bears, and Church wanted to roll his eyes at the taste.) He pulled away after a few seconds, still not sure how long he could kiss the blonde while he could still remain comfortable.

Church peeked at the barista through the corner of his eye and smirked when he saw her busying herself with work. He turned back to look at Caboose and was surprised to see the dazed look on his face.

“You okay?” Church asked, removing his hands from where they rested.

“Can we do that again?” Caboose licked his lips and bounced in his seat, lightly rapping his knuckles on the top of the table.

“You don’t even have to ask,” Church smiled.

Sure, there were times when Church hated the fact that Caboose wasn’t entirely okay with expressing his love physically, but he’d take it any day if it meant it would mean something even more on the rare days Caboose was comfortable.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?


End file.
